Ezra

Praiseworthy

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1 Praise the LORD!
For it is good to sing praises to our God;
    for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting.
2 The LORD builds up Jerusalem;
    he gathers the outcasts of Israel.
3 He heals the brokenhearted
    and binds up their wounds.
4 He determines the number of the stars;
    he gives to all of them their names.
5 Great is our LORD, and abundant in power;
    his understanding is beyond measure.
6 The LORD lifts up the humble;
    he casts the wicked to the ground.

7 Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving;
    make melody to our God on the lyre!
8 He covers the heavens with clouds;
    he prepares rain for the earth;
    he makes grass grow on the hills.
9 He gives to the beasts their food,
    and to the young ravens that cry.
10 His delight is not in the strength of the horse,
    nor his pleasure in the legs of a man,
11 but the LORD takes pleasure in those who fear him,
    in those who hope in his steadfast love.

12 Praise the LORD, O Jerusalem!
    Praise your God, O Zion!
13 For he strengthens the bars of your gates;
    he blesses your children within you.
14 He makes peace in your borders;
    he fills you with the finest of the wheat.
15 He sends out his command to the earth;
    his word runs swiftly.
16 He gives snow like wool;
    he scatters frost like ashes.
17 He hurls down his crystals of ice like crumbs;
    who can stand before his cold?
18 He sends out his word, and melts them;
    he makes his wind blow and the waters flow.
19 He declares his word to Jacob,
    his statutes and rules to Israel.
20 He has not dealt thus with any other nation;
    they do not know his rules.
Praise the LORD! – Psalm 147:1-20 ESV

In this psalm, the author provides a litany of reasons to praise Yahweh that emphasize His power and provision for His chosen people. In verse 20, the psalmist stresses that Yahweh’s care and concern for the Israelites was unique to them.

He has not done this for any other nation;
they do not know his regulations. – Psalm 147:20 NLT

All people on earth enjoy Yahweh’s common grace, His unmerited blessings that come in the form of life, sustenance, and a patient restraint from delivering the judgment they deserve for their rebellion against Him.

The LORD is good to everyone.
He showers compassion on all his creation. – Psalm 145:9 NLT

He does not punish us for all our sins;
he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve.– Psalm 103:10 NLT

Jesus declared that His Father “gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike” (Matthew 5:45 NLT). This common grace is available to all, but only the Israelites experienced Yahweh’s special grace in the form of His sovereign selection of them as His treasured possession.

“Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the peoples on earth; for all the earth belongs to me. And you will be my kingdom of priests, my holy nation.’ This is the message you must give to the people of Israel.” – Exodus 19:5-6 NLT

Moses reminded the people of Israel that they had been chosen by God, not because there was anything special about them, but simply because God had ordained them to be the recipients of His divine favor.

For you are a holy people, who belong to the LORD your God. Of all the people on earth, the LORD your God has chosen you to be his own special treasure.

“The LORD did not set his heart on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other nations, for you were the smallest of all nations! Rather, it was simply that the LORD loves you, and he was keeping the oath he had sworn to your ancestors.– Deuteronomy 7:6-8 NLT

This psalm was addressed to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and was intended to remind them of their unmeritorious status as Yahweh’s chosen people. Some scholars believe this psalm was sung at the dedication of the newly constructed walls of Jerusalem, an event recorded in the Book of Nehemiah. After the Israelites spent 70 years in exile after the Babylonian invasion of Judah and the destruction of Jerusalem, Yahweh allowed a remnant of them to return so they could rebuild and repopulate the city. When the walls of Jerusalem were completed, Nehemiah organized a special dedication ceremony to commemorate the day.

For the dedication of the new wall of Jerusalem, the Levites throughout the land were asked to come to Jerusalem to assist in the ceremonies. They were to take part in the joyous occasion with their songs of thanksgiving and with the music of cymbals, harps, and lyres. The singers were brought together from the region around Jerusalem and from the villages of the Netophathites. They also came from Beth-gilgal and the rural areas near Geba and Azmaveth, for the singers had built their own settlements around Jerusalem. The priests and Levites first purified themselves; then they purified the people, the gates, and the wall. – Nehemiah 12:27-30 NLT

Nehemiah formed two large choirs accompanied by musicians and sent them to the top of the recently completed walls. One choir headed south and the other north, singing praises to Yahweh as they made their way along the wall.

The two choirs that were giving thanks then proceeded to the Temple of God, where they took their places. So did I, together with the group of leaders who were with me.…They played and sang loudly under the direction of Jezrahiah the choir director. – Nehemiah 12:40, 42 NLT

They likely sang the words recorded in Psalm 147.

The LORD is rebuilding Jerusalem
    and bringing the exiles back to Israel. – Psalm 147:2 NLT

Yahweh had been gracious to His rebellious people, allowing them to return to the land of Judah to rebuild their destroyed city and restore the broken relationship with Him. They had done nothing to deserve this second chance opportunity to begin again with Yahweh. It was all a result of His unmerited favor and grace. The same God who “counts the stars and calls them all by name” (Psalm 147:4 NLT), also “heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds” (Psalm 147:3 NLT). 

The God who created the universe was willing to stoop down and shower His unrepentant people with compassion. None of it made sense to the psalmist. This marvelous outpouring of Yahweh’s mercy and grace was too much for him to understand.

How great is our LORD! His power is absolute!
    His understanding is beyond comprehension! – Psalm 147:5 NLT

The psalmist could not comprehend the magnitude of Yahweh’s love for His chosen people. Despite all they had done to offend Him, Yahweh had responded with lovingkindness and unfailing love. Long before the people returned from their exile in Babylon, the prophet Micah had declared its future fulfillment.

Where is another God like you,
    who pardons the guilt of the remnant,
    overlooking the sins of his special people?
You will not stay angry with your people forever,
    because you delight in showing unfailing love.
Once again you will have compassion on us.
    You will trample our sins under your feet
    and throw them into the depths of the ocean!
You will show us your faithfulness and unfailing love
    as you promised to our ancestors Abraham and Jacob long ago. – Micah 7:18-20 NLT

The psalmist was standing on the other end of this prophecy’s fulfillment and was able to witness the goodness and grace of God as he surveyed the recently completed walls of Jerusalem. That is why he could write, “Sing out your thanks to the LORD; sing praises to our God with a harp” (Psalm 147:7 NLT). His praise was not speculative or based on a probable outcome; it was founded on reality. Yahweh had done what He promised to do. He had warned them of their pending judgment, but He had also assured them of their inevitable return. 

This is what the Lord says: “You will be in Babylon for seventy years. But then I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised, and I will bring you home again. For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. I will be found by you,” says the Lord. “I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land.” – Jeremiah 29:10-14 NLT

Yahweh had kept His word, and He had done so, not based on human merit but based on His grace and mercy. Their return to Judah had not been the result of conquest or military might. The Israelites had not fought their way out of Babylon; they had been redeemed by God’s grace.

He takes no pleasure in the strength of a horse
    or in human might.
No, the LORD’s delight is in those who fear him,
    those who put their hope in his unfailing love. – Psalm 147:10-11 NLT

Now that they were back in the land of promise, the psalmist encouraged them to live up to their status as God’s chosen people.

Glorify the LORD, O Jerusalem!
    Praise your God, O Zion!
For he has strengthened the bars of your gates
    and blessed your children within your walls. – Psalm 147:12-13 NLT

They had nothing to brag about because they had done nothing to bring about the reversal of their fortunes; it had all been Yahweh’s doing. The least they could do was praise Him.

The psalmist emphasizes Yahweh’s power as expressed in His verbal command over the universe. He speaks, and things happen. At the word of His mouth, the universe came into being. All Yahweh has to do is open His mouth, and the weather changes.

He sends his orders to the world—
    how swiftly his word flies! – Psalm 147:15 NLT

Yahweh spoke to King Cyrus of Persia and orchestrated the release of His captive people.

In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing. – Ezra 1:1 ESV

Cyrus, moved by the Spirit of God, decreed that the Israelites were free to return to the land of Judah. Years later, when King Artaxerxes ruled, he gave Ezra permission to return to Jerusalem so he could teach the people of Israel God’s law.

…the king gave him everything he asked for, because the gracious hand of the LORD his God was on him. – Ezra 7:6 NLT

The psalmist saw God’s sovereign hand at work in all of this and called on his people to respond in praise and thanksgiving. This was not the result of blind fate, luck, karma, kismet, or good fortune; it was the providential work of Yahweh. The Israelites had been the undeserving beneficiaries of Yahweh’s grace and mercy. They had experienced something no other people group on the planet could claim.

He has revealed his words to Jacob,
    his decrees and regulations to Israel.
He has not done this for any other nation;
    they do not know his regulations.

Praise the Lord! – Psalm 147:19-20 NLT

God had been good to them. He had been gracious, merciful, kind, patient, and loving. He had redeemed and restored them. He had protected and provided for them. And He had never turned His back on them. All ample reasons for why they should praise Him.

Father, I don’t have to manufacture reasons to praise You. I don’t have to conjure up excuses to thank You for Your goodness and grace because they are all around me; from the air I breathe to the food I eat. You have blessed me with life but, more importantly, You have given me the promise of eternal life. I deserve nothing, yet You have showered me with everything I have. Yet, I tend not to praise You. I take Your grace and mercy for granted. At times, I even take credit for my own success and mistakenly think I somehow deserve the many blessings You pour out on me. But nothing could be further from the truth. I want to live with an attitude of praise and thanksgiving because You are worthy. Give me eyes to see and appreciate all that You have done and are doing my life, so that praise will become as natural to me as breathing. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The LORD Has Done Great Things

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A Song of Ascents.

1 When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion,
    we were like those who dream.
2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
    and our tongue with shouts of joy;
then they said among the nations,
    “The LORD has done great things for them.”
3 The LORD has done great things for us;
    we are glad.

4 Restore our fortunes, O LORD,
    like streams in the Negeb!
5 Those who sow in tears
    shall reap with shouts of joy!
6 He who goes out weeping,
    bearing the seed for sowing,
shall come home with shouts of joy,
    bringing his sheaves with him. – Psalm 126:1-6 ESV

This psalm appears to have been written sometime after the Israelites returned from their captivity in Babylon under the leadership of Ezra and Nehemiah. After conquering the Babylonians in 539 B.C., the Persian King Cyrus issued a decree allowing the former citizens of Judah to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple.

“Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever is among you of all his people, may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and rebuild the house of the Lord, the God of Israel—he is the God who is in Jerusalem. And let each survivor, in whatever place he sojourns, be assisted by the men of his place with silver and gold, with goods and with beasts, besides freewill offerings for the house of God that is in Jerusalem.” – Ezra 1:2-4 ESV

As the Persian king acknowledges, his decision was divinely ordained by “the LORD, the God of heaven.” Seventy years earlier, Yahweh had told his people that their captivity was imminent but that it would be followed by their return to the land.

“For thus says the Lord: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” – Jeremiah 29:10-11 ESV

Yahweh kept His word and influenced Cyrus to use his royal powers not only to command the release of the Israelites but also to return all the plundered items taken from the Temple.

King Cyrus himself brought out the articles that King Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the LORD’s Temple in Jerusalem and had placed in the temple of his own gods. Cyrus directed Mithredath, the treasurer of Persia, to count these items and present them to Sheshbazzar, the leader of the exiles returning to Judah. – Ezra 1:7-8 NLT

Yahweh also “stirred the hearts of the priests and Levites and the leaders of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin to go to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple of the LORD” (Ezra 7:5 NLT). The small remnant of Israelites who were moved by God to make the arduous journey back to Judah were assisted by their neighbors, who donated silver, gold, food, supplies, and livestock to support them on the journey. It is estimated that Zerubabbel led 50,000 Israelites back to Judah to begin the process of rebuilding the Temple and repopulating the city of Jerusalem. 

In 458 B.C., Ezra, a scribe and an expert in the Mosaic Law, led another contingent of 5,000 Jews back to Judah. By this time, the Temple had been rebuilt, but the people were unfamiliar with Yahweh’s laws and the sacrificial system. 

Ezra arrived in Jerusalem in August of that year. He had arranged to leave Babylon on April 8, the first day of the new year, and he arrived at Jerusalem on August 4, for the gracious hand of his God was on him. This was because Ezra had determined to study and obey the Law of the LORD and to teach those decrees and regulations to the people of Israel. – Ezra 7:8-10 NLT  

In 445 B.C., Nehemiah, who was serving as the cupbearer to the new Persian king, Artaxerxes, received a disturbing report about the state of affairs in Jerusalem.

“Things are not going well for those who returned to the province of Judah. They are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem has been torn down, and the gates have been destroyed by fire.” – Nehemiah 1:3 NLT

Moved by this news, Nehemiah appealed to Yahweh for His divine intervention.

“Please remember what you told your servant Moses: ‘If you are unfaithful to me, I will scatter you among the nations. But if you return to me and obey my commands and live by them, then even if you are exiled to the ends of the earth, I will bring you back to the place I have chosen for my name to be honored.’

“The people you rescued by your great power and strong hand are your servants. O Lord, please hear my prayer! Listen to the prayers of those of us who delight in honoring you. Please grant me success today by making the king favorable to me. Put it into his heart to be kind to me.” – Nehemiah 1:8-11 NLT

Yahweh heard and answered Nehemiah’s prayer, and prompted King Artaxerxes to sanction the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem.

It is unclear at what point during this nearly 100-year period the psalmist wrote his song of ascent, but he describes the initial return of the exiles as a dream-like experience. After 70 years in captivity, it must have been a surreal experience to enter the gates of Jerusalem. For many of them, this would have been their first time seeing the City of David, as they had been born in captivity. And despite the dilapidated conditions of the walls and buildings, they were filled with laughter and sang for joy (Psalm 126:2). Even the surrounding nations were stunned by the unexpected repatriation of Judah by the Israelites and recognized it as a divinely ordained event. “The LORD has done great things for them,” they exclaimed. 

But the psalmist recognizes that all is not well. The initial wave of enthusiasm gave way to concern over the less-than-ideal conditions in the land. While some of their neighbors praised Yahweh for His divine deliverance of His people, others were not so happy to have the Israelites back in the land. During the 70 years the people of Judah had been in exile, their lands, homes, and properties had been taken over by neighboring nations. Fearful that the Israelites would prosper and repopulate the land, their enemies sent a letter to King Artaxerxes, accusing the Israelites of insurrection.

“The king should know that the Jews who came here to Jerusalem from Babylon are rebuilding this rebellious and evil city. They have already laid the foundation and will soon finish its walls. And the king should know that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are completed, it will be much to your disadvantage, for the Jews will then refuse to pay their tribute, customs, and tolls to you.” – Ezra 4:12-13 NLT

These very same people had stringently opposed all the rebuilding efforts instituted by Zerrubabel and Nehemiah. But nothing they did curtailed the rebuilding of the Temple or the walls and gates of the city. This led them to seek Artaxerxes’ intervention.

Their ploy worked because the king issued a decree ordering all rebuilding efforts to cease. This work stoppage would remain in effect until Darius ascended the throne in 520 B.C. He reinstituted Cyrus’ original decree and authorized the Jews to continue their restoration of the Temple and the city.

The psalmist’s words seem to reflect the sadness that accompanied the initial joy of returning to the land. He prays, “Restore our fortunes, O LORD, like streams in the Negeb!” (Psalm 126:4 NLT). Their return had been met with opposition, and the taunts and accusations of their enemies had turned their joys to tears. But he continued to trust in Yahweh’s faithfulness.

Those who sow in tears
    shall reap with shouts of joy! – Psalm 126:5 NLT

He acknowledges that the days ahead will be difficult, but he expresses his conviction that Yahweh will have the final say. Their enemies can shout, scream, threaten, and write letters of accusation, but Yahweh is sovereign over all. The same God who moved the hearts of Cyrus, Artaxerxes, and Darius would ensure their success and secure their future.

They weep as they go to plant their seed,
    but they sing as they return with the harvest. – Psalm 126:6 NLT

It is easy to see why this psalm was one of the songs of ascent. It expresses a confidence in Yahweh that every generation of Israelites needed to hear and embrace. The enemies of Israel would always be there. The opposition to Yahweh’s power and the existence of His people would never dissipate. The Israelites’ return to the land had been a wonderful, God-ordained experience. It was a joy to no longer be in exile, but that did not mean the troubles and trials of life were over.

One of the things the Israelites had to contend with was their own culpability for their suffering. They couldn’t blame all their problems on their enemies. The whole reason they had gone into exile in the first place was because of their sinfulness. Now that Yahweh had returned them to the land, they would need to do more than rebuild the house of God; they would need to clean house. Ezra recognized the seriousness of the problem and called the people to repentance.

“But now we have been given a brief moment of grace, for the Lord our God has allowed a few of us to survive as a remnant. He has given us security in this holy place. Our God has brightened our eyes and granted us some relief from our slavery. For we were slaves, but in his unfailing love our God did not abandon us in our slavery. Instead, he caused the kings of Persia to treat us favorably. He revived us so we could rebuild the Temple of our God and repair its ruins. He has given us a protective wall in Judah and Jerusalem.

“And now, O our God, what can we say after all of this? For once again we have abandoned your commands!” – Ezra 9:8-10 NLT

They were back in the land and had rebuilt the Temple, but they were still living in open rebellion against Yahweh. Seventy years had passed, but nothing had changed. Ezra knew that the blessings of God would mean little if the people refused to change their ways.

“O LORD, God of Israel, you are just. We come before you in our guilt as nothing but an escaped remnant, though in such a condition none of us can stand in your presence.” – Ezra 9:15 NLT

Any attempts to renovate the Temple and restore the city would be futile if the people refused to repent and return to the LORD. The dream would turn into a nightmare if God’s people failed to learn the lessons of the past. However, Ezra’s prayer had a profound impact on the people. They responded appropriately, saying, “We have been unfaithful to our God, for we have married these pagan women of the land. But in spite of this there is hope for Israel” (Ezra 10:2 NLT).

There is always hope because Yahweh is faithful. He is loving, gracious, patient, and forgiving. But He requires repentant hearts and a willingness to submit to His will. All the way back at the dedication of the Temple, God had made a promise to Solomon.

“If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.” – 2 Chronicles 7:14 NLT

And that promise still stood. The LORD would forgive their sins and restore their fortunes if they would only return to Him in repentance and humility.

Father, You are the same yesterday, today, and forever. You never change and You never fail to keep Your promises. Thank You for this reminder that I can trust You at all times. And thank You for reminding me that You still expect obedience, humility, and faithfulness from Your covenant people. Forgive me for demanding restoration and reward without repentance. I confess that, far too often, I cheapen Your amazing grace by treating it with contempt and taking it for granted. Help me live in keeping with who You are and who You have called me to be. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Salvation is Near to Those Who Fear Him

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To the choirmaster. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah.

1 LORD, you were favorable to your land;
    you restored the fortunes of Jacob.
2 You forgave the iniquity of your people;
    you covered all their sin. Selah
3 You withdrew all your wrath;
    you turned from your hot anger.

4 Restore us again, O God of our salvation,
    and put away your indignation toward us!
5 Will you be angry with us forever?
    Will you prolong your anger to all generations?
6 Will you not revive us again,
    that your people may rejoice in you?
7 Show us your steadfast love, O LORD,
    and grant us your salvation.

8 Let me hear what God the LORD will speak,
    for he will speak peace to his people, to his saints;
    but let them not turn back to folly.
9 Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him,
    that glory may dwell in our land.

10 Steadfast love and faithfulness meet;
    righteousness and peace kiss each other.
11 Faithfulness springs up from the ground,
    and righteousness looks down from the sky.
12 Yes, the LORD will give what is good,
    and our land will yield its increase.
13 Righteousness will go before him
    and make his footsteps a way. – Psalm 85:1-13 ESV

The opening lines of this psalm appear to be speaking of God’s deliverance of a remnant of Israelites from their captivity in Babylon. After 70 years in exile, God sovereignly orchestrated their return under Ezra and Nehemiah.

This plan for their restoration had been in place from the very beginning and was announced to the exiled Israelites in a letter written by the prophet Jeremiah.

This is what the Lord says: “You will be in Babylon for seventy years. But then I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised, and I will bring you home again. For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. I will be found by you,” says the Lord. “I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land.” – Jeremiah 29:10-14 NLT

God kept His word and brought His chosen people home to the land of promise. But their homecoming was anything but joyful. They returned to find Jerusalem in ruins, the Temple completely demolished, and their former homes destroyed. In their absence, other people groups had taken over the land and did everything in their power to stop any plans for resettlement.

When the first wave of Israelites returned to Canaan, word was sent back to Nehemiah in Babylon describing the sorry state of affairs.

“Things are not going well for those who returned to the province of Judah. They are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem has been torn down, and the gates have been destroyed by fire.” – Nehemiah 1:3 NLT

Under the leadership of Zerubbabel, the remnant of Israelites who returned to the land of promise attempted to rebuild the Temple but were met with fierce opposition.

…the local residents tried to discourage and frighten the people of Judah to keep them from their work. They bribed agents to work against them and to frustrate their plans. – Ezra 4:4-5 NLT

This organized resistance was relentless and long-term. Years later, a contingent of Israel’s enemies wrote a letter to King Artaxerxes, attempting to portray the Israelites as insurrectionists and a threat to his kingdom.

“The king should know that the Jews who came here to Jerusalem from Babylon are rebuilding this rebellious and evil city. They have already laid the foundation and will soon finish its walls. And the king should know that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are completed, it will be much to your disadvantage, for the Jews will then refuse to pay their tribute, customs, and tolls to you.”

“Since we are your loyal subjects and do not want to see the king dishonored in this way, we have sent the king this information. We suggest that a search be made in your ancestors’ records, where you will discover what a rebellious city this has been in the past. In fact, it was destroyed because of its long and troublesome history of revolt against the kings and countries who controlled it. We declare to the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are completed, the province west of the Euphrates River will be lost to you.” – Ezra 4:12-16 NLT

The psalmist sees this persistent opposition as a sign of God’s displeasure and calls on Yahweh to relent from His anger and restore His people to favor once again. 

Now restore us again, O God of our salvation.
    Put aside your anger against us once more.
Will you be angry with us always?
    Will you prolong your wrath to all generations? – Psalm 85:4-5 NLT

His assumption was that God remained angry over Israel’s past disobedience and was using their enemies to punish them. So, he pleads with Yahweh to pour out His ḥeseḏ, His unfailing love. This Hebrew word is most often translated as “mercy” and reflects a need for God’s undeserved favor. The psalmist knew the Israelites had done nothing to deserve God’s love and forgiveness. Their days in exile were not marked by repentance or faithful worship of God. Yahweh had returned them to the land in keeping with His promise and as proof of His faithfulness.

But the psalmist understood that their return to the land would be incomplete and unproductive if their relationship with Yahweh remained unrestored. A rebuilt city, restored Temple, and a revitalized local economy would mean nothing without a revived relationship with God. The psalmist knew that spiritual revival would be an important part of Israel’s renewal.

I listen carefully to what God the Lord is saying,
    for he speaks peace to his faithful people.
    But let them not return to their foolish ways.
Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him,
    so our land will be filled with his glory. – Psalm 85:8-9 NLT

Their return to the land could not be marked by the same spiritual apathy and apostasy that led to their fall. Things would need to be different this time around. They had experienced a location change, but God expected heart change. Yahweh desired His people to serve Him willingly and faithfully, not out of coercion or compulsion, but out of love.

Long before the Israelites entered the land of Canaan, God had given them His expectations concerning their behavior. If they obeyed Him, they would experience His blessings.

“If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully keep all his commands that I am giving you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the world. You will experience all these blessings if you obey the Lord your God:

Your towns and your fields
    will be blessed.
Your children and your crops
    will be blessed.
The offspring of your herds and flocks
    will be blessed.
Your fruit baskets and breadboards
    will be blessed.
Wherever you go and whatever you do,
    you will be blessed.

“The Lord will conquer your enemies when they attack you. They will attack you from one direction, but they will scatter from you in seven!

“The Lord will guarantee a blessing on everything you do and will fill your storehouses with grain. The Lord your God will bless you in the land he is giving you.” – Deuteronomy 28:1-8 NLT

And the psalmist reveals that he understood that this relationship between God and His covenant people remained unchanged. If the people wanted to experience God’s unfailing love and enjoy the fruits of a relationship with Him, they would need to be faithful. Love, peace, truth, and righteousness were theirs if only they would keep their covenant commitments to Yahweh.

Unfailing love and truth have met together.
    Righteousness and peace have kissed!
Truth springs up from the earth,
    and righteousness smiles down from heaven.
Yes, the LORD pours down his blessings.
    Our land will yield its bountiful harvest.
Righteousness goes as a herald before him,
    preparing the way for his steps. – Psalm 85:10-13 NLT

But God’s blessings would accompany obedience. Rebuilding the city and the Temple would not be enough. The Israelites would need to rebuild their relationship with Yahweh and make Him a non-negotiable priority for their lives.

Father, it’s always been about a relationship with You. Our behavior is important and our actions do matter, but You have always focused on the heart. The things we do for You mean nothing if we do them for the wrong reasons or with a hardened heart. Show me how to make You the top priority in my life, not the things You do for me. I want to be faithful whether things are going well or not. I want to remain committed even when my circumstances don’t make sense and my hope begins to waver. Show me how to fear You so that I might remain faithful to You. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Our Gracious God

/ kdmiller55 / 2 Comments

To the choirmaster: according to Lilies. A Testimony. Of Asaph, a Psalm.

1 Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel,
    you who lead Joseph like a flock.
You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth.
2     Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh,
stir up your might
    and come to save us!

3 Restore us, O God;
    let your face shine, that we may be saved!

4 O LORD God of hosts,
    how long will you be angry with your people’s prayers?
5 You have fed them with the bread of tears
    and given them tears to drink in full measure.
6 You make us an object of contention for our neighbors,
    and our enemies laugh among themselves.

7 Restore us, O God of hosts;
    let your face shine, that we may be saved!

8 You brought a vine out of Egypt;
    you drove out the nations and planted it.
9 You cleared the ground for it;
    it took deep root and filled the land.
10 The mountains were covered with its shade,
    the mighty cedars with its branches.
11 It sent out its branches to the sea
    and its shoots to the River.
12 Why then have you broken down its walls,
    so that all who pass along the way pluck its fruit?
13 The boar from the forest ravages it,
    and all that move in the field feed on it.

14 Turn again, O God of hosts!
    Look down from heaven, and see;
have regard for this vine,
15     the stock that your right hand planted,
    and for the son whom you made strong for yourself.
16 They have burned it with fire; they have cut it down;
    may they perish at the rebuke of your face!
17 But let your hand be on the man of your right hand,
    the son of man whom you have made strong for yourself!
18 Then we shall not turn back from you;
    give us life, and we will call upon your name!

19 Restore us, O LORD God of hosts!
    Let your face shine, that we may be saved! – Psalm 80:1-19 ESV

Like the psalm that precedes it, this is a national psalm of lament, but it is difficult to determine the exact context surrounding its message. Some scholars believe Asaph is addressing the fall of the northern kingdom of Israel in 722 BC. But if Asaph was a resident of the southern kingdom of Judah, his prayer in verse 3 would appear to place the timing of this psalm after the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BC.

Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh,
stir up your might
    and come to save us! – Psalm 80:3 ESV

Asaph seems to indicate that something has happened to the people of Judah, the residents of the southern kingdom. In verses 5 and 6, he describes the extent of their suffering, which he attributes to God’s divine punishment.

You have fed us with sorrow
    and made us drink tears by the bucketful.
You have made us the scorn of neighboring nations.
    Our enemies treat us as a joke. – Psalm 80:5-6 NLT

Asaph’s reference to Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh is intended as a not-so-subtle reminder that the nation of Israel used to be a unified whole. There had been a time under the reigns of David and Solomon when the 12 tribes of Israel were unified and dominated the political landscape of Canaan. Ephraim was the primary tribe in the north, the Benjamites lived in the south, and the tribe of Manasseh was located east of the Jordan River in the Transjordan. So it makes more sense to see this psalm lamenting Israel’s abysmal condition after the northern and southern kingdoms had fallen to the Assyrians and Babylonians.

It is interesting to note that Asaph opens his psalm with a reference to Joseph, the son of Jacob, who had been sold into slavery by his brothers. Under God’s sovereign hand, this young man ended up in Egypt and rose to the second-highest position in the land. His miraculous and meteoric rise to prominence was God-ordained and for the sole purpose of providing a place of refuge for his family when a famine struck the land of Canaan.

Asaph opens his psalm by addressing Yahweh as the “Shepherd of Israel” (Psalm 80:1 ESV), who leads Joseph like a flock. Joseph’s two sons, born to him in Egypt, were adopted by his father Jacob, and their descendants became heirs of the land of promise. Ephraim and Manasseh, two of the tribes mentioned in verse 2, were the descendants of Joseph’s two sons and, at one time, enjoyed a place within the unified nation of Israel alongside the tribe of Benjamin.

But sin had disrupted Israel’s peace and prosperity. King Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, behaved like a fool by fostering idolatry and apostasy in the kingdom. His actions resulted in God splitting the kingdom in half. From that point, the downward spiritual spiral continued in the north, south, and east, as all the tribes exhibited a penchant for unfaithfulness and a stubborn refusal to repent and return to Yahweh.

So, Asaph calls on God to step in and fix the problem.

Show us your mighty power.
    Come to rescue us! – Psalm 80:3 NLT

Asaph attributes their fate to God’s displeasure with them, but he never acknowledges their complicity and guilt. At no point does Asaph attempt to confess the sins of his fellow Israelites. Instead, he questions why God remains so angry and unwilling to answer their prayers for deliverance.

Asaph attempts to remind God of His past acts of kindness by chronicling how He had delivered the Israelites from their slavery in Egypt and established them in the land of Canaan.

You brought us from Egypt like a grapevine;
    you drove away the pagan nations and transplanted us into your land.
You cleared the ground for us,
    and we took root and filled the land.
Our shade covered the mountains;
    our branches covered the mighty cedars.
We spread our branches west to the Mediterranean Sea;
    our shoots spread east to the Euphrates River. – Psalm 80:8-11 NLT

Those were the good old days, when the Israelites enjoyed the blessings of God. They had been fruitful and filled the land of Canaan. Under the leadership of David and Solomon, their numbers grew and their kingdom spread, making them a force to be reckoned with in the region. But all that had changed. The conditions in Israel were markedly different when Asaph penned this psalm because sin had brought the judgment of God.

Yet, Asaph never mentions their sin. He fails to acknowledge their complicity in their own demise, choosing instead to blame God.

But now, why have you broken down our walls
    so that all who pass by may steal our fruit?
The wild boar from the forest devours it,
    and the wild animals feed on it. – Psalm 80:12-13 NLT

While God had brought judgment upon the people of Israel, it had been as a result of their rebellion against Him. Asaph obsesses over the consequences they suffered and demands remediation, but he refuses to confess their guilt. He begs God to intervene and appears to try to shame God into action.

Take care of this grapevine
    that you yourself have planted,
    this son you have raised for yourself. – Psalm 80:14-15 NLT

Asaph freely admits that God had chosen Israel to be His treasured possession, but he couldn’t understand why they were suffering so greatly. It made no sense. As the nation that bore His name, the Israelites should have been prospering and enjoying all the benefits of their privileged position. But, according to Asaph, they were like a vineyard that had been “chopped up and burned by” (Psalm 80:16 NLT) by their enemies.

So, Asaph asks God to reverse the trend and restore His people to greatness.

May you give support to the one you have chosen,
to the one whom you raised up for yourself. – Psalm 80:17 NET

In response to God’s miraculous deliverance, Asaph promises the renewed allegiance of the people of Israel.

Then we will never abandon you again.
    Revive us so we can call on your name once more. – Psalm  80:17 NLT

By referring to God’s name, Asaph appeals to God’s reputation. He knows that Yahweh holds His name in high regard and will not allow it to be tarnished by those privileged to bear it. He had warned the Israelites that their behavior reflected on His character.

“You must worship no other gods, for the Lord, whose very name is Jealous, is a God who is jealous about his relationship with you.” – Exodus 34:14 NLT

He would not allow them to drag His name through the mud by their repeated acts of apostasy and idolatry, and that is the reason for their current state of deprivation and despair. All 12 tribes were guilty of worshiping other gods and had angered Yahweh with their refusal to heed His warnings and repent of their sins. But Asaph longs to see God redeem and restore them.

Turn us again to yourself, O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies.
    Make your face shine down upon us.
    Only then will we be saved. – Psalm 80:19 NLT

He was right. God was the only solution to their problem. Their cities lay in ruins, and their economy was devastated. They had no king or army and no hope of improving their fortunes unless God stepped in. Asaph’s reliance upon God was commendable, but he failed to recognize the corporate need for repentance. The prophets made it clear that redemption and restoration were available but required repentance.

Seek the Lord while you can find him.
    Call on him now while he is near.
Let the wicked change their ways
    and banish the very thought of doing wrong.
Let them turn to the Lord that he may have mercy on them.
    Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously. – Isaiah 55:6-7 NLT

God would later inspire Jeremiah to deliver the following message to the Israelites living in exile in Babylon. He wanted them to know that their captivity had an expiration date, but to enjoy His deliverance, they must exhibit repentant hearts.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. I will be found by you,” says the Lord. “I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land.” – Jeremiah 29:11-14 NLT

Asaph was right to call on God, but neglected to call the people to repentance. God had promised to hear their prayers and restore their fortunes, but He required that they look for him “wholeheartedly.” God demanded their sold-out devotion to Him alone, instead of their usual brand of half-hearted, going-through-the-motions, on-again-off-again worship.

Yet, despite their failure to repent and return to Him in wholehearted devotion, God eventually released them from their exile in Babylon and restored them to the land of Canaan. Their covenant-keeping God graciously ended their captivity and arranged for a remnant to return to Jerusalem under the leadership of Ezra and Nehemiah. Yahweh proved to be faithful even when His people refused to keep their end of the covenant agreement. And, according to the Book of Ezekiel, God is far from done with His chosen people. The day is coming when He will perform a miracle of transformation that will ensure their unwavering devotion to Him.

“For I will gather you up from all the nations and bring you home again to your land.

“Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. Your filth will be washed away, and you will no longer worship idols. And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations.

“And you will live in Israel, the land I gave your ancestors long ago. You will be my people, and I will be your God. I will cleanse you of your filthy behavior.” – Ezekiel 36:24-29 NLT

Father, You truly are amazing. Your love never fails. You always keep Your word. Your grace is always undeserved. Your mercy never runs out. Your patience is inexhaustible. And Your plan for Your people is unstoppable. Despite us, You continually pour out Your blessings through Jesus Christ. You have made a way where there was no way. You do the impossible and accomplish the improbable. And we don’t deserve it. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

You Are the LORD

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1 Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the people of Israel were assembled with fasting and in sackcloth, and with earth on their heads. 2 And the Israelites separated themselves from all foreigners and stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers. 3 And they stood up in their place and read from the Book of the Law of the Lord their God for a quarter of the day; for another quarter of it they made confession and worshiped the Lord their God. 4 On the stairs of the Levites stood Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani; and they cried with a loud voice to the Lord their God. 5 Then the Levites, Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said, “Stand up and bless the Lord your God from everlasting to everlasting. Blessed be your glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise.

6 “You are the LORD, you alone. You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them; and you preserve all of them; and the host of heaven worships you. 7 You are the LORD, the God who chose Abram and brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans and gave him the name Abraham. 8 You found his heart faithful before you, and made with him the covenant to give to his offspring the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Jebusite, and the Girgashite. And you have kept your promise, for you are righteous.

9 “And you saw the affliction of our fathers in Egypt and heard their cry at the Red Sea, 10 and performed signs and wonders against Pharaoh and all his servants and all the people of his land, for you knew that they acted arrogantly against our fathers. And you made a name for yourself, as it is to this day. 11 And you divided the sea before them, so that they went through the midst of the sea on dry land, and you cast their pursuers into the depths, as a stone into mighty waters. 12 By a pillar of cloud you led them in the day, and by a pillar of fire in the night to light for them the way in which they should go. 13 You came down on Mount Sinai and spoke with them from heaven and gave them right rules and true laws, good statutes and commandments, 14 and you made known to them your holy Sabbath and commanded them commandments and statutes and a law by Moses your servant. 15 You gave them bread from heaven for their hunger and brought water for them out of the rock for their thirst, and you told them to go in to possess the land that you had sworn to give them. – Nehemiah 9:1-15 ESV

Despite all the festivities, the people remained somber and sorrowful because of their awakened awareness of their sinful state. Ezra’s reading of the Mosaic Law left them without any doubt as to their guilt. They had clearly broken God’s commands and were deserving of His judgment. Those who tried to explain the meaning of the laws to the people tried to manage their sense of shame by stating, “Don’t mourn or weep on such a day as this! For today is a sacred day before the Lord your God” (Nehemiah 8:9 NLT). Nehemiah added, “Go and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!” (Nehemiah 8:10 NLT).

But just days after celebrating the Feast of Booths when the people gathered together for a second solemn assembly they were in a mournful state.

…the people assembled again, and this time they fasted and dressed in burlap and sprinkled dust on their heads. – Nehemiah 9:1 NLT

Some had taken steps to remedy their problem by separating themselves from their foreign relationships. They now understood that, as God’s chosen people, He had called them to live set-apart lives that would maintain their distinctiveness. But over time, they had compromised their convictions and determined to coexist with the nations around them. Their interactions with non-Jews had left them spiritually contaminated and morally compromised. After hearing God’s law read the people became aware of their complicity in the nation’s many concessions of convenience.

When the LORD your God hands these nations over to you and you conquer them, you must completely destroy them. Make no treaties with them and show them no mercy. You must not intermarry with them. Do not let your daughters and sons marry their sons and daughters, for they will lead your children away from me to worship other gods. Then the anger of the LORD will burn against you, and he will quickly destroy you. – Deuteronomy 7:2-4 NLT

Having purged the foreigners from their midst, the Israelites stood for six hours, listening to the reading of the law and confessing their sins before Yahweh. This six-hour-long ceremony was a worship service in which the people reunited with their God. It was a painful and gut-wrenching experience that exposed the extent of their wickedness but also reminded them of the grace and mercy of God. He took His Law seriously but He was also a covenant-keeping God. The reason they were able to stand inside the recently rebuilt walls of Jerusalem and hear the Mosaic Law being read within earshot of the newly restored Temple was because God had kept His word.  He had fulfilled His promise to end their 70 years of captivity and return them to the Land of Promise.

“You will be in Babylon for seventy years. But then I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised, and I will bring you home again. For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” – Jeremiah 29:10-11 NLT

The walls were intended to provide the people with protection. The Law would be a reminder of God’s moral and ethical code of conduct and their violation of it. The Temple would be a constant source of forgiveness and atonement for the sins they ultimately committed. All of this was God’s doing and the Levites encouraged the people to “Stand up and praise the Lord your God, for he lives from everlasting to everlasting!” (Nehemiah 9:5 NLT).

Over the last few days, the people had experienced a revival, a renewal of their relationship with Yahweh that had produced a strange mixture of emotions. They experienced joy, sorrow, delight, despair, peace, fear, and an overwhelming sense of God’s power and presence. This was a watershed moment in the lives of the people of Judah. They were back in the land and their work on the walls was complete. But with the reading of the Law, they realized their toughest challenge was ahead of them. Now they had to live as God’s chosen people. By now, they understood that the walls and the Temple could not protect them from God’s wrath. If they disobeyed His commands and refused to submit to His authority as the one true God, they would face the same consequences as their ancestors. But these newly invigorated citizens of Judah embraced the challenge enthusiastically, shouting, “Blessed be your glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise” (Nehemiah 9:5 ESV). They were ready to obey and offered a corporate prayer of confession and commitment to the LORD.

They opened their prayer with an admission of Yahweh’s unparalleled status as the incomparable and unrivaled God of the universe.

“You are the LORD, you alone. You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them; and you preserve all of them; and the host of heaven worships you.” – Nehemiah 9:6 ESV

He has no equals. There are no alternative gods or competing deities worthy of sharing the limelight with Yahweh. He alone is the one true God who revealed Himself to their ancient patriarch.

“You are the Lord God, who chose Abram and brought him from Ur of the Chaldeans and renamed him Abraham.” – Nehemiah 9:7 NLT

From among all the people on earth, the Creator-God chose this undeserving pagan idol worshiper and called him to become His servant. He promised to produce a great nation from this elderly man and his barren wife. Not only that, God assured Abram that his many descendants would have a land in which to live. And the people of Judah, standing within the recently rebuilt walls of Jerusalem, knew that God had kept His word.

“…you made a covenant with him to give him and his descendants the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Jebusites, and Girgashites. And you have done what you promised, for you are always true to your word.” – Nehemiah 9:8 NLT

But they recalled the days when Jacob and his small family had been forced to seek shelter in the land of Egypt because of a famine in the land of Canaan. What was intended to be a short-term sojourn in the land of the Pharaohs stretched into four centuries and culminated with the people of Israel living as slaves to their Egyptian overlords. But Yahweh stepped in again.

“You saw the misery of our ancestors in Egypt, and you heard their cries from beside the Red Sea. You displayed miraculous signs and wonders against Pharaoh, his officials, and all his people, for you knew how arrogantly they were treating our ancestors. You have a glorious reputation that has never been forgotten.” – Nehemiah 9:9-10 NLT

The stories of God’s past deliverance rang in their ears. The plagues, the Passover, and the crossing of the Red Sea came to mind as they worshiped the greatness of Yahweh. The entire Exodus story took on a whole new meaning as they stood within the walls of Jerusalem and considered their own deliverance from bondage in Babylon. They too had experienced God’s gracious and miraculous hand, just like the Israelites in the wilderness. In a way, their solemn assembly was not unlike the appearance of God on Mount Sinai. It was there that God first gave Moses the Law. He appeared on the mountaintop accompanied by smoke, fire, thunder, and lightning. His presence shook the ground and struck fear into the people of Israel.

Now, centuries later, the people of Judah stood in awe and fear as that same Law was read and they recognized the power and presence of God in their midst.

“You came down at Mount Sinai and spoke to them from heaven. You gave them regulations and instructions that were just, and decrees and commands that were good. You instructed them concerning your holy Sabbath. And you commanded them, through Moses your servant, to obey all your commands, decrees, and instructions.” – Nehemiah 9:13-14 NLT

God’s laws had not changed and neither had He. Yahweh remained steadfast and true, faithful and forgiving. But He also remained firmly committed to His call for absolute allegiance and unwavering obedience to His commands. The people of Judah knew from personal experience that God punishes the disobedient. Their 70-year tenure in Babylon was ample proof that failure to obey comes with serious consequences.

Their ancestors had chosen to break God’s commands repeatedly and without remorse, and they did this despite God’s ongoing care and compassion for them. He had proven His faithfulness time and time again. He had showered them with love that took practical form and met real-world needs.

“You gave them bread from heaven when they were hungry and water from the rock when they were thirsty. You commanded them to go and take possession of the land you had sworn to give them.” – Nehemiah 9:15 NLT

This entire first section of their corporate prayer is a resounding declaration of God’s goodness and grace. They could look back and see Yahweh’s track record of faithfulness and lovingkindness. He was the deliverer, redeemer, provider, protector, Law-giver, and guide who never left them or turned His back on them. Yet, as the rest of their prayer will reveal, the people of Israel proved to be less than grateful and far from reciprocal in their love and faithfulness.

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Move-In Day

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1 Now when the wall had been built and I had set up the doors, and the gatekeepers, the singers, and the Levites had been appointed, 2 I gave my brother Hanani and Hananiah the governor of the castle charge over Jerusalem, for he was a more faithful and God-fearing man than many. 3 And I said to them, “Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun is hot. And while they are still standing guard, let them shut and bar the doors. Appoint guards from among the inhabitants of Jerusalem, some at their guard posts and some in front of their own homes.” 4 The city was wide and large, but the people within it were few, and no houses had been rebuilt.

5 Then my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles and the officials and the people to be enrolled by genealogy. And I found the book of the genealogy of those who came up at the first, and I found written in it:

6 These were the people of the province who came up out of the captivity of those exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried into exile. They returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his town. 7 They came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah.

The number of the men of the people of Israel: 8 the sons of Parosh, 2,172. 9 The sons of Shephatiah, 372. 10 The sons of Arah, 652. 11 The sons of Pahath-moab, namely the sons of Jeshua and Joab, 2,818. 12 The sons of Elam, 1,254. 13 The sons of Zattu, 845. 14 The sons of Zaccai, 760. 15 The sons of Binnui, 648. 16 The sons of Bebai, 628. 17 The sons of Azgad, 2,322. 18 The sons of Adonikam, 667. 19 The sons of Bigvai, 2,067. 20 The sons of Adin, 655. 21 The sons of Ater, namely of Hezekiah, 98. 22 The sons of Hashum, 328. 23 The sons of Bezai, 324. 24 The sons of Hariph, 112. 25 The sons of Gibeon, 95. 26 The men of Bethlehem and Netophah, 188. 27 The men of Anathoth, 128. 28 The men of Beth-azmaveth, 42. 29 The men of Kiriath-jearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, 743. 30 The men of Ramah and Geba, 621. 31 The men of Michmas, 122. 32 The men of Bethel and Ai, 123. 33 The men of the other Nebo, 52. 34 The sons of the other Elam, 1,254. 35 The sons of Harim, 320. 36 The sons of Jericho, 345. 37 The sons of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, 721. 38 The sons of Senaah, 3,930.

39 The priests: the sons of Jedaiah, namely the house of Jeshua, 973. 40 The sons of Immer, 1,052. 41 The sons of Pashhur, 1,247. 42 The sons of Harim, 1,017.

43 The Levites: the sons of Jeshua, namely of Kadmiel of the sons of Hodevah, 74. 44 The singers: the sons of Asaph, 148. 45 The gatekeepers: the sons of Shallum, the sons of Ater, the sons of Talmon, the sons of Akkub, the sons of Hatita, the sons of Shobai, 138.

46 The temple servants: the sons of Ziha, the sons of Hasupha, the sons of Tabbaoth, 47 the sons of Keros, the sons of Sia, the sons of Padon, 48 the sons of Lebana, the sons of Hagaba, the sons of Shalmai, 49 the sons of Hanan, the sons of Giddel, the sons of Gahar, 50 the sons of Reaiah, the sons of Rezin, the sons of Nekoda, 51 the sons of Gazzam, the sons of Uzza, the sons of Paseah, 52 the sons of Besai, the sons of Meunim, the sons of Nephushesim, 53 the sons of Bakbuk, the sons of Hakupha, the sons of Harhur, 54 the sons of Bazlith, the sons of Mehida, the sons of Harsha, 55 the sons of Barkos, the sons of Sisera, the sons of Temah, 56 the sons of Neziah, the sons of Hatipha.

57 The sons of Solomon’s servants: the sons of Sotai, the sons of Sophereth, the sons of Perida, 58 the sons of Jaala, the sons of Darkon, the sons of Giddel, 59 the sons of Shephatiah, the sons of Hattil, the sons of Pochereth-hazzebaim, the sons of Amon.

60 All the temple servants and the sons of Solomon’s servants were 392.

61 The following were those who came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer, but they could not prove their fathers’ houses nor their descent, whether they belonged to Israel: 62 the sons of Delaiah, the sons of Tobiah, the sons of Nekoda, 642. 63 Also, of the priests: the sons of Hobaiah, the sons of Hakkoz, the sons of Barzillai (who had taken a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by their name). 64 These sought their registration among those enrolled in the genealogies, but it was not found there, so they were excluded from the priesthood as unclean. 65 The governor told them that they were not to partake of the most holy food until a priest with Urim and Thummim should arise.

66 The whole assembly together was 42,360, 67 besides their male and female servants, of whom there were 7,337. And they had 245 singers, male and female. 68 Their horses were 736, their mules 245, 69 their camels 435, and their donkeys 6,720.

70 Now some of the heads of fathers’ houses gave to the work. The governor gave to the treasury 1,000 darics of gold, 50 basins, 30 priests’ garments and 500 minas of silver. 71 And some of the heads of fathers’ houses gave into the treasury of the work 20,000 darics of gold and 2,200 minas of silver. 72 And what the rest of the people gave was 20,000 darics of gold, 2,000 minas of silver, and 67 priests’ garments.

73 So the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, some of the people, the temple servants, and all Israel, lived in their towns.

And when the seventh month had come, the people of Israel were in their towns. – Nehemiah 7:1-73 ESV

The wall was completed and the gates were hung, bringing the nearly two-month-long construction project to a close. The next thing on Nehemiah’s agenda was securing the Temple infrastructure so that the sacrificial system could be properly maintained. The whole purpose behind rebuilding the walls was to provide a safe and secure environment for the worship of Yahweh. At this point, the Temple was the primary focal point of the city because little work had been done on the rest of the civic buildings and homes. Nehemiah alludes to the fact that the city was virtually unoccupied.

At that time the city was large and spacious, but the population was small, and none of the houses had been rebuilt. – Nehemiah 7:4 NLT

Without walls, the city of Jerusalem would have been an unsafe environment, so most of the returning exiles took up residence in the smaller villages and communities outside the walls. In 537 B.C., a large contingent of exiles made the trip back to Judah under the leadership of Zerubabbel. These individuals had been required to provide proof of citizenship and their legal status as heirs to property within the land of Judah. Some of them would have been the descendants of those who owned homes within the walls of Jerusalem, but to date, none of them had bothered to rebuild or reoccupy those homes. This state of affairs led Nehemiah to take on yet another project. He determined to repopulate the city of Jerusalem to ensure its vitality and future as a thriving urban center. He knew the city could not survive without citizens.

Nehemiah had discovered “the genealogical record of those who had first returned to Judah” (Nehemiah 7:5 NLT). This is the very same list that Zerubbabel compiled nearly 100 years earlier to determine who could provide proof of citizenship and heirship to property rights. The list found in verses 6-67 is virtually identical to that of Ezra 2. In his official capacity as governor, Nehemiah had come across this list and must have questioned why no one had bothered to avail themselves of their rights to property within Jerusalem. The homes remained in ruins and unoccupied. Nearly 50,000 people had made the long journey from Babylon to Judah, but only a fraction of them had settled within the city of Jerusalem.

Now that the walls were complete, Nehemiah hoped to persuade these reluctant settlers to transform the empty city into a bustling metropolis again. God had promised to restore and repopulate the city and Nehemiah was doing his part to see that God’s will was accomplished.

“This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Once again old men and women will walk Jerusalem’s streets with their canes and will sit together in the city squares. And the streets of the city will be filled with boys and girls at play.

“This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: All this may seem impossible to you now, a small remnant of God’s people. But is it impossible for me? says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.” – Zechariah 8:4-6 NLT

The Book of Jeremiah contains another promise from God concerning the future fate of the land of Judah.

Long ago the Lord said to Israel:
“I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love.
    With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.
I will rebuild you, my virgin Israel.
    You will again be happy
    and dance merrily with your tambourines.
Again you will plant your vineyards on the mountains of Samaria
    and eat from your own gardens there.
The day will come when watchmen will shout
    from the hill country of Ephraim,
‘Come, let us go up to Jerusalem
    to worship the Lord our God.’” – Jeremiah 31:3-6 NLT

God describes a day when He will restore the fortunes of His people and shower His favor on the city of Jerusalem once again.

“The day will come when watchmen will shout
    from the hill country of Ephraim,
‘Come, let us go up to Jerusalem
    to worship the Lord our God.’”

7 Now this is what the Lord says:
“Sing with joy for Israel.
    Shout for the greatest of nations!
Shout out with praise and joy:
‘Save your people, O Lord,
    the remnant of Israel!’
For I will bring them from the north
    and from the distant corners of the earth.
I will not forget the blind and lame,
    the expectant mothers and women in labor.
    A great company will return!” – Jeremiah 31:6-8 NLT

This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: “When I bring them back from captivity, the people of Judah and its towns will again say, ‘The Lord bless you, O righteous home, O holy mountain!’ Townspeople and farmers and shepherds alike will live together in peace and happiness. For I have given rest to the weary and joy to the sorrowing.” – Jeremiah 31:23-25 NLT

Nehemiah longed to see the vacant city reoccupied and God’s promises fulfilled. So, he set out to encourage the people to do the right thing and begin rebuilding and reoccupying the homes in Jerusalem. God had brought them back, now it was up to them to bring the city back to life.

Once again, God had foretold of the people’s restoration and Jerusalem’s revitalization.

“‘Therefore, this is what the Lord says: I have returned to show mercy to Jerusalem. My Temple will be rebuilt, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, and measurements will be taken for the reconstruction of Jerusalem.’

“Say this also: ‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: The towns of Israel will again overflow with prosperity, and the Lord will again comfort Zion and choose Jerusalem as his own.’” – Zechariah 1:16-17 NLT

God had done His part, now it was their turn.

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Constructive Faith

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1 Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brothers the priests, and they built the Sheep Gate. They consecrated it and set its doors. They consecrated it as far as the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Tower of Hananel. 2 And next to him the men of Jericho built. And next to them Zaccur the son of Imri built.

3 The sons of Hassenaah built the Fish Gate. They laid its beams and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars. 4 And next to them Meremoth the son of Uriah, son of Hakkoz repaired. And next to them Meshullam the son of Berechiah, son of Meshezabel repaired. And next to them Zadok the son of Baana repaired. 5 And next to them the Tekoites repaired, but their nobles would not stoop to serve their Lord.

6 Joiada the son of Paseah and Meshullam the son of Besodeiah repaired the Gate of Yeshanah. They laid its beams and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars. 7 And next to them repaired Melatiah the Gibeonite and Jadon the Meronothite, the men of Gibeon and of Mizpah, the seat of the governor of the province Beyond the River. 8 Next to them Uzziel the son of Harhaiah, goldsmiths, repaired. Next to him Hananiah, one of the perfumers, repaired, and they restored Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall. 9 Next to them Rephaiah the son of Hur, ruler of half the district of Jerusalem, repaired. 10 Next to them Jedaiah the son of Harumaph repaired opposite his house. And next to him Hattush the son of Hashabneiah repaired. 11 Malchijah the son of Harim and Hasshub the son of Pahath-moab repaired another section and the Tower of the Ovens. 12 Next to him Shallum the son of Hallohesh, ruler of half the district of Jerusalem, repaired, he and his daughters.

13 Hanun and the inhabitants of Zanoah repaired the Valley Gate. They rebuilt it and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars, and repaired a thousand cubits of the wall, as far as the Dung Gate.

14 Malchijah the son of Rechab, ruler of the district of Beth-haccherem, repaired the Dung Gate. He rebuilt it and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars.

15 And Shallum the son of Col-hozeh, ruler of the district of Mizpah, repaired the Fountain Gate. He rebuilt it and covered it and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars. And he built the wall of the Pool of Shelah of the king’s garden, as far as the stairs that go down from the city of David. 16 After him Nehemiah the son of Azbuk, ruler of half the district of Beth-zur, repaired to a point opposite the tombs of David, as far as the artificial pool, and as far as the house of the mighty men. 17 After him the Levites repaired: Rehum the son of Bani. Next to him Hashabiah, ruler of half the district of Keilah, repaired for his district. 18 After him their brothers repaired: Bavvai the son of Henadad, ruler of half the district of Keilah. 19 Next to him Ezer the son of Jeshua, ruler of Mizpah, repaired another section opposite the ascent to the armory at the buttress. 20 After him Baruch the son of Zabbai repaired another section from the buttress to the door of the house of Eliashib the high priest. 21 After him Meremoth the son of Uriah, son of Hakkoz repaired another section from the door of the house of Eliashib to the end of the house of Eliashib. 22 After him the priests, the men of the surrounding area, repaired. 23 After them Benjamin and Hasshub repaired opposite their house. After them Azariah the son of Maaseiah, son of Ananiah repaired beside his own house. 24 After him Binnui the son of Henadad repaired another section, from the house of Azariah to the buttress and to the corner. 25 Palal the son of Uzai repaired opposite the buttress and the tower projecting from the upper house of the king at the court of the guard. After him Pedaiah the son of Parosh 26 and the temple servants living on Ophel repaired to a point opposite the Water Gate on the east and the projecting tower. 27 After him the Tekoites repaired another section opposite the great projecting tower as far as the wall of Ophel.

28 Above the Horse Gate the priests repaired, each one opposite his own house. 29 After them Zadok the son of Immer repaired opposite his own house. After him Shemaiah the son of Shecaniah, the keeper of the East Gate, repaired. 30 After him Hananiah the son of Shelemiah and Hanun the sixth son of Zalaph repaired another section. After him Meshullam the son of Berechiah repaired opposite his chamber. 31 After him Malchijah, one of the goldsmiths, repaired as far as the house of the temple servants and of the merchants, opposite the Muster Gate, and to the upper chamber of the corner. 32 And between the upper chamber of the corner and the Sheep Gate the goldsmiths and the merchants repaired. – Nehemiah 3:1-32 ESV

Nehemiah had a plan for rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem but he would need manual labor to carry it out. This would be back-breaking work that required both strength and precision. Each work crew was assigned a gate to repair and, once the gate was completed, they were to construct the wall that led to the next gate. Their efforts needed to coordinate with the next team of builders so that the walls could be joined together seamlessly. This massive undertaking required brute force, keen engineering skills. craftsmanship, and a great deal of patience. But the people took on the project wholeheartedly and enthusiastically. Individuals from every walk of life joined in the effort, working side by side to see that the walls of their beloved city were rebuilt.

The work of rebuilding the walls began at the Sheep Gate at the northeastern corner near the Temple Mount. This section of the wall was repaired by the priests under the direction of Eliashib the high priest. He was the grandson of Jeshua, the former high priest, who had played a major role in rebuilding the altar of God so that the sacrificial system could be reinstituted.

Jeshua son of Jehozadak joined his fellow priests and Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel with his family in rebuilding the altar of the God of Israel. They wanted to sacrifice burnt offerings on it, as instructed in the Law of Moses, the man of God. Even though the people were afraid of the local residents, they rebuilt the altar at its old site. Then they began to sacrifice burnt offerings on the altar to the Lord each morning and evening. – Ezra 3:2-3 NLT

The Sheep Gate played an important part in the sacrificial system as well. Located near the Temple Mount, this gate provided easy access for the shepherds who tended the flocks used for the Temple sacrifices. The reconstruction of this gate became a high priority and was taken on by the priests themselves. Even the high priest rolled up his sleeves and joined in the work. Once they completed their gate, they consecrated it, setting it apart as holy to the LORD. This symbolic act was meant to remind the people that their work was to be done “as to the LORD” (Proverbs 16:3). The gates and walls were intended to provide protection, but they would also be a constant reminder of God’s presence, power, and provision.

It is interesting to note that the men of Jericho worked beside the priests. This brief reference would have struck a chord with the Jewish audience who read Nehemiah’s recounting of this momentous occasion. The mention of Jericho would have conjured up the stories they had been told as children. When the Israelites first crossed over the Jordan in their attempt to conquer the land of Canaan, they encountered the fortified city of Jericho. God gave Joshua the following instructions for taking this seemingly impenetrable city.

Now the gates of Jericho were tightly shut because the people were afraid of the Israelites. No one was allowed to go out or in. But the Lord said to Joshua, “I have given you Jericho, its king, and all its strong warriors. You and your fighting men should march around the town once a day for six days. Seven priests will walk ahead of the Ark, each carrying a ram’s horn. On the seventh day you are to march around the town seven times, with the priests blowing the horns. When you hear the priests give one long blast on the rams’ horns, have all the people shout as loud as they can. Then the walls of the town will collapse, and the people can charge straight into the town.” – Joshua 6:1-5 NLT

Just the day before, Joshua had encountered an unknown and well-armed soldier. When Joshua asked whether he was a friend or foe, the man said, “I am the commander of the Lord’s army” (Joshuah 5:14 NLT). This pronouncement caused Joshua to fall to the ground in fear and reverence. It was from this divine messenger that Joshua received his orders to take the city of Jericho. By following the LORD’s command, the Israelites enjoyed a surprisingly easy victory over their enemies.

When the people heard the sound of the rams’ horns, they shouted as loud as they could. Suddenly, the walls of Jericho collapsed, and the Israelites charged straight into the town and captured it. They completely destroyed everything in it with their swords—men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep, goats, and donkeys. – Joshua 6:20-21 NLT

The city of Jericho was eventually rebuilt and occupied by the Israelites. The walls that had fallen were restored, and the men who called this city their home came to assist in the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem. Those who had the joy of living in the place where God gave the Israelites their first victory were more than happy to play a role in rebuilding the walls of their capital city.

Nehemiah goes on to chronicle the various groups that participated in the rebuilding process. While these names are unknown to modern readers, their inclusion gives the impression that people from every walk of life took part in this God-ordained project. The work was not done by peasants alone. Everyone from the high priest to the local government officials played their part. It was a community-wide effort. But there is one side note that reveals at least one group who chose to bow out of the proceedings.

…the Tekoites repaired, but their nobles would not stoop to serve their Lord. – Nehemiah 3:5 ESV

These elitist upper-class snobs deemed themselves too high and mighty to get their hands dirty. But Nehemiah paints a much more harsh reality. He describes them as unwilling to serve their Lord. They were too good to serve Yahweh.

Yet, their less affluent neighbors labored diligently and willingly to rebuild not just one section of wall, but two.

…the Tekoites repaired another section opposite the great projecting tower as far as the wall of Ophel. – Nehemiah 3:27 ESV

No indictment is leveled against these unnamed nobles, but the Proverbs have much to say about men like them.

A man’s pride will bring him low, but a humble spirit will obtain honor. – Proverbs 29:23 BSB

When pride comes, disgrace follows, but with humility comes wisdom. – Proverbs 11:2 BSB

Before his downfall a man’s heart is proud, but humility comes before honor. – Proverbs 18:12 BSB

Despite the pompous attitude of the nobles of Tekoah, the work continued. Others pitched in and, over time, the gates were rebuilt and the walls were restored. This communal project was a testament to Nehemiah’s organizational skills and his powers of persuasion. He had successfully convinced the people of Judah to pool their efforts and accomplish a seemingly impossible task under less-than-ideal circumstances. They labored side by side for months on end, enduring harsh weather conditions and putting up with constant harassment from their enemies. Nehemiah’s description of their efforts makes it sound like everything went off without a hitch. He describes no injuries, setbacks, mishaps, or arguments. This was a do-it-yourself project of epic proportions that would have featured endless opportunities for frustration and confrontation. Mismeasured blocks would have needed to be repaired or replaced. Pulled muscles and broken limbs would have sidelined many, slowing down the work and increasing the workload of others.

And as the following chapter will reveal, the entire project was met with increasing hostility from the local inhabitants. Sanballat and Tobiah were relentless in their attacks, mocking the people of Judah for Don Quixote-like quest to do the impossible.

“What does this bunch of poor, feeble Jews think they’re doing? Do they think they can build the wall in a single day by just offering a few sacrifices? Do they actually think they can make something of stones from a rubbish heap—and charred ones at that?” – Nehemiah 4:2 NLT

“That stone wall would collapse if even a fox walked along the top of it!” – Nehemiah 4:3 NLT

But the work went on and the walls went up. Perseverance and patience were necessary. Faith was a non-negotiable requirement. Determination and cooperation were indispensable. And the people would need to constantly remember that they had Yahweh on their side. The words of Nehemiah needed to ring in their ears as they hammered, hauled, chiseled, and chipped their way to completion.

“The God of heaven will help us succeed. We, his servants, will start rebuilding this wall.” – Nehemiah 2:20 NLT

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Good Hand of God

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1 In the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was before him, I took up the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad in his presence. 2 And the king said to me, “Why is your face sad, seeing you are not sick? This is nothing but sadness of the heart.” Then I was very much afraid. 3 I said to the king, “Let the king live forever! Why should not my face be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers’ graves, lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?” 4 Then the king said to me, “What are you requesting?” So I prayed to the God of heaven. 5 And I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers’ graves, that I may rebuild it.” 6 And the king said to me (the queen sitting beside him), “How long will you be gone, and when will you return?” So it pleased the king to send me when I had given him a time. 7 And I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, let letters be given me to the governors of the province Beyond the River, that they may let me pass through until I come to Judah, 8 and a letter to Asaph, the keeper of the king’s forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress of the temple, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall occupy.” And the king granted me what I asked, for the good hand of my God was upon me. – Nehemiah 2:1-8 ESV

Chapter Two begins with another date that provides an important marker. First, it establishes that Nehemiah spent four months praying and fasting before approaching King Artaxerxes. In the opening chapter, Nehemiah does not disclose what he intends to ask Artaxerxes but simply asks God to prepare the king’s heart.

“O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name, and give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.” – Nehemiah 1:11 ESV

As Nehemiah prayed and waited, he continued to serve as the king’s cup-bearer. In this role, Nehemiah enjoyed regular access to the throne room because it was his responsibility to taste-test the king’s food and wine. In a real sense, Nehemiah served as a royal bodyguard, preventing any attempts to assassinate the king by poisoning his food.

““From varied sources it may be assumed that Nehemiah as a royal cupbearer would probably have had the following traits: 1. He would have been well trained in court etiquette (cf. Dan. 1:4-5). 2. He was probably a handsome individual (cf. Dan. 1:4, 13, 14). 3. He would certainly know how to select the wines to set before the king. . . . 4. He would have to be a convivial companion to the king with a willingness to lend an ear at all times. . . . 5. He would be a man of great influence as one with the closest access to the king, and one who could well determine who could see the king. 6. Above all, Nehemiah had to be an individual who enjoyed the unreserved confidence of the king.”” – Edwin M. Yamauchi, “The Archaeological Background of Nehemiah,” Bibliotheca Sacra 137:548 (October-December 1980):296-97

During his four months of prayer and fasting, Nehemiah’s countenance must have changed dramatically as the effects of food deprivation and sorrow over the state of affairs in Judah took their toll on his body. Nehemiah attempted to disguise his sadness whenever he was in the king’s presence but, in time, the king noticed that something was off. Much to Nehemiah’s dismay, Artaxerxes confronted him about his downcast demeanor.

“Why are you looking so sad? You don’t look sick to me. You must be deeply troubled.” – Nehemiah 2:2 NLT

Nehemiah admits that the king’s question left him “very much afraid” (Nehemiah 2:3 ESV). As the king’s cup-bearer, Nehemiah was a trusted servant who held the king’s life in his hands. He knew his downcast countenance could be misconstrued and taken as a sign of guilt. It would have been easy for Artaxerxes to become concerned that Nehemiah’s change in character was evidence of something more sinister. So, before the king could reach the wrong conclusion, Nehemiah broke protocol and told the truth. He literally blurted out his answer to the king.

“Long live the king! How can I not be sad? For the city where my ancestors are buried is in ruins, and the gates have been destroyed by fire.” – Nehemiah 2:3 NLT

Nehemiah wanted to quickly dispel any thoughts that he was part of a clandestine assassination plot against the king. His sadness was not a sign of remorse or regret over his role in planning the king’s demise; it reflected his concern for the state of his native home.

Much to his surprise, the king responded by asking for clarification. “What are you requesting?” he inquired. Nehemiah immediately recognized this as the answer to his prayer. He had pleaded with God to give him favor with the king and God had answered that prayer in a big way. Sensing the divine nature of this encounter, Nehemiah offered up a short, silent prayer to God and then disclosed his request to the king.

“If it please the king, and if you are pleased with me, your servant, send me to Judah to rebuild the city where my ancestors are buried.” – Nehemiah 2:5 NLT

Nehemiah’s quick prayer must have come with an equally speedy response because he wasted no time in telling the king what was on his mind. The words that came out of his mouth were bold and audacious. Though he enjoyed a long-standing and intimate relationship with Artaxerxes, Nehemiah was asking a lot. Not only was he asking for an extended leave of absence from his role as the king’s cup-bearer, but he was also requesting permission to rebuild the city of Jerusalem. What makes this request so remarkable is that Artaxerxes is the same king who earlier decreed that all construction on Jerusalem was to come to a halt.

The Book of Ezra records the details behind Artaxerxes earlier decision. He had received a letter from the non-Jewish residents of Judah that warned of possible insurrection if the Hebrews were allowed to continue their rebuilding efforts.

“We declare to the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are completed, the province west of the Euphrates River will be lost to you.” – Ezra 4:16 NLT

They encouraged Artaxerxes to search the royal archives and learn about Judah’s long-standing history of rebellion and insurrection. Rightfully concerned, the king took their advice.

“I ordered a search of the records and have found that Jerusalem has indeed been a hotbed of insurrection against many kings. In fact, rebellion and revolt are normal there! Powerful kings have ruled over Jerusalem and the entire province west of the Euphrates River, receiving tribute, customs, and tolls. Therefore, issue orders to have these men stop their work. That city must not be rebuilt except at my express command. Be diligent, and don’t neglect this matter, for we must not permit the situation to harm the king’s interests.” – Ezra 4:19-22 NLT

So, it took a lot for Nehemiah to ask Artaxerxes for permission to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls. It was a risky proposition that could have turned out poorly. But rather than questioning Nehemiah’s loyalty or debating the allegiance of the Jews back in Judah, Artaxerxes simply asked, “How long will you be gone, and when will you return?” (Nehemiah 2:6 ESV).

All he asked for was a timeline that revealed Nehemiah’s return date. Artaxerxes was willing to let Nehemiah go as long as he promised to come back. Surprised by the king’s amenable disposition, Nehemiah decided to lay all his cards on the table. He sensed that God had answered his prayer to soften the king’s heart, so he ventured out in faith and made the big ask.

“If it please the king, let me have letters addressed to the governors of the province west of the Euphrates River, instructing them to let me travel safely through their territories on my way to Judah. And please give me a letter addressed to Asaph, the manager of the king’s forest, instructing him to give me timber. I will need it to make beams for the gates of the Temple fortress, for the city walls, and for a house for myself.” – Nehemiah 2:7-8 NLT

Nehemiah reveals his strong belief that God had sovereignly ordained every facet of his encounter with the king.

…the king granted these requests, because the gracious hand of God was on me. – Nememiah 2:8 NLT

Everything he asked for was provided, from the letters guaranteeing safe travel to the lumber needed to build the walls, gates, and a house for him to live in. This last request indicates that Nehemiah knew his stay in Jerusalem would not be temporary. Little did he know that it would be 12 years before he returned to the court of Artaxerxes (Nehemiah 5:14). God had miraculously intervened and prepared the heart of the pagan king to willfully sponsor Nehemiah’s return to Judah. Once again, Yahweh sovereignly moved in the life of a foreign king, prompting him to use his power to benefit the people of God. Time and time again, God utilized men like Nebuchadnezzar, Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes to accomplish His will for His chosen people. These powerful kings were no match for God Almighty. They were instruments in His sovereign hands and fully under His control at all times. As the Proverb so succinctly puts it, “The king’s heart is like a stream of water directed by the Lord; he guides it wherever he pleases” (Proverbs 21:1 NLT).

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Message (MSG)Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

The Story Continues

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1 The words of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah.

Now it happened in the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Susa the citadel, 2 that Hanani, one of my brothers, came with certain men from Judah. And I asked them concerning the Jews who escaped, who had survived the exile, and concerning Jerusalem. 3 And they said to me, “The remnant there in the province who had survived the exile is in great trouble and shame. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are destroyed by fire.”

4 As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven. 5 And I said, “O Lord God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, 6 let your ear be attentive and your eyes open, to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for the people of Israel your servants, confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you. Even I and my father’s house have sinned. 7 We have acted very corruptly against you and have not kept the commandments, the statutes, and the rules that you commanded your servant Moses. 8 Remember the word that you commanded your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples, 9 but if you return to me and keep my commandments and do them, though your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of heaven, from there I will gather them and bring them to the place that I have chosen, to make my name dwell there.’ 10 They are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your great power and by your strong hand. 11 O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name, and give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.”

Now I was cupbearer to the king. – Nehemiah 1:1-11 ESV

After a 15-year gap, the Book of Nehemiah picks up where the Book of Ezra ended, carrying on the story of the rebuilding and repopulating of Jerusalem by the returned exiles. It has been nearly 150 years since the Babylonians destroyed the city and forced some of its citizens to return with them as slaves. Over the next 70 years, these captives would acclimate to their new surroundings, with some of them turning their backs on Yahweh and worshiping the false gods of the Babylonians. A remnant of Jews would retain their faith in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, attempting to maintain their spiritual heritage under difficult circumstances. Their Temple had been destroyed, so they had no way of retaining the sacrificial system God had given them. Many of the Levites and priests who had been captured abandoned their God-given duties as the spiritual leaders of the people. It was a dark time for the people of God, but one that He had warned them about long before it happened.

“‘Even now, if you quit your evil ways, I will let you stay in your own land. But don’t be fooled by those who promise you safety simply because the Lord’s Temple is here. They chant, “The Lord’s Temple is here! The Lord’s Temple is here!” But I will be merciful only if you stop your evil thoughts and deeds and start treating each other with justice; only if you stop exploiting foreigners, orphans, and widows; only if you stop your murdering; and only if you stop harming yourselves by worshiping idols. Then I will let you stay in this land that I gave to your ancestors to keep forever.” – Jeremiah 7:3-7 NLT

The people of Judah had a long track record of disobedience. For centuries, they had displayed a strong propensity for unfaithfulness marked by spiritual adultery and moral laxity. Confident in their status as God’s chosen people, they believed they were immune from disaster. After all, their capital city contained the Temple of Yahweh. They viewed this magnificent structure built by Solomon as a virtual talisman that protected them from their enemies. But God had warned them that the Temple could not guarantee their safety.

“So just as I destroyed Shiloh, I will now destroy this Temple that bears my name, this Temple that you trust in for help, this place that I gave to you and your ancestors. And I will send you out of my sight into exile, just as I did your relatives, the people of Israel.” – Jeremiah 7:14-15 NLT

Hundreds of years earlier, God had destroyed the northern kingdom of Israel, sending the Assyrians to invade and destroy their capital city of Samaria and taking its residents as captives. The people of Judah witnessed the destruction of their northern kinsmen but made no attempt to change their ways. They continued to disobey God, ignoring the many prophets He sent who warned of judgment to come unless they repented. Eventually, God ran out of patience and carried out His plan for their judgment.

“And now the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Because you have not listened to me, I will gather together all the armies of the north under King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, whom I have appointed as my deputy. I will bring them all against this land and its people and against the surrounding nations. I will completely destroy you and make you an object of horror and contempt and a ruin forever. I will take away your happy singing and laughter. The joyful voices of bridegrooms and brides will no longer be heard. Your millstones will fall silent, and the lights in your homes will go out. This entire land will become a desolate wasteland. Israel and her neighboring lands will serve the king of Babylon for seventy years.” – Jeremiah 25:8-11 NLT

Yet, Judah’s covenant-keeping God revealed His plan for their future deliverance and return to the land. After the fall of Jerusalem and the captives were taken to Babylon, God commissioned Jeremiah to send them a letter with the following message:

“You will be in Babylon for seventy years. But then I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised, and I will bring you home again. For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.  In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. I will be found by you,” says the Lord. “I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land.”– Jeremiah 29:10-14 NLT

God had kept His word and returned a remnant of the exiles to Judah. Over the decades, they rebuilt the Temple and restored much of the city of Jerusalem. Under Ezra’s direction, they had re-established the integrity of the priesthood and revitalized the people’s knowledge of God’s law.

But the Book of Nehehiam opens with bad news. It has been 150 years since the fall of Jerusalem and despite all the achievements of the returned exiles, the walls of the city remain just as the Babylonians had left them. Nehemiah receives news from recent visitors to the city of Jerusalem, who inform him of the surprising state of affairs.

“Things are not going well for those who returned to the province of Judah. They are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem has been torn down, and the gates have been destroyed by fire.”– Nehemiah 1:3 NLT

The year is 445 B.C. (the twentieth year of Artaxerxes’ reign) and the walls of Jerusalem have been in shambles since 586 B.C. This news surprises Nehemiah, who happens to serve as the cup-bearer to King Artaxerxes (Nehemiah 1:11). This Jewish exile has risen to a position of prominence in the royal court and has access to the Persian king; a fact that will prove beneficial as the story unfolds.

But upon hearing the news of Jerusalem’s disheveled outer defenses, Nehemiah “mourned, fasted, and prayed to the God of heaven” (Nehemiah 1:4 NLT). Saddened by what he heard, Nehemiah took the matter to Yahweh. First, he acknowledges God’s covenant-keeping faithfulness and unwavering love. Then he confesses his own unfaithfulness and that of the people of Judah. Nehemiah admits that they have been inconsistent in their worship of Yahweh. During their extended stay in Babylon, they have failed to obey God’s laws and have allowed their spiritual disciplines to languish. But he reminds Yahweh of His covenant promises.

“Please remember what you told your servant Moses: ‘If you are unfaithful to me, I will scatter you among the nations. But if you return to me and obey my commands and live by them, then even if you are exiled to the ends of the earth, I will bring you back to the place I have chosen for my name to be honored.’” – Nehemiah 1:8-9 NLT

What makes this prayer so interesting is that God has already fulfilled this promise. Several waves of exiles have already returned to the land of Judah. Nehemiah seems to be indicating that there were still faithful Jews living in Babylon who longed to return home. Yes, they had sinned but had also repented and were trying to obey God’s commands. Nehemiah was pleading with God to send more exiles back to Jerusalem to help with the rebuilding efforts. To him, it was a matter of numbers. There weren’t enough men to do the work.

Nehemiah had a plan and he asked God to bless it. He had come up with a strategy for solving the problem back home and was prepared to use his access to the king to make it happen. But he knew he would need God’s permission and help. Nehemiah was concerned about the state of affairs back home and ready to do something about it. He was not willing to sit back and do nothing. His royal position likely afforded him great comfort and convenience. He lacked for nothing. But Nehemiah was unwilling to live in luxury while his homeland lay in ruins. He seems to have understood that his position in the royal court was God-ordained and afforded him the perfect opportunity to appeal for the king’s help, even if it cost him his job or his life. He knew the risks involved and asked God to give him favor.

“Put it into his heart to be kind to me.” – Nehemiah 1:11 NLT

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Message (MSG)Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

 

His Righteousness Endures Forever

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18 Now there were found some of the sons of the priests who had married foreign women: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah, some of the sons of Jeshua the son of Jozadak and his brothers. 19 They pledged themselves to put away their wives, and their guilt offering was a ram of the flock for their guilt. 20 Of the sons of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah. 21 Of the sons of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah. 22 Of the sons of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah.

23 Of the Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (that is, Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer. 24 Of the singers: Eliashib. Of the gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem, and Uri.

25 And of Israel: of the sons of Parosh: Ramiah, Izziah, Malchijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Hashabiah, and Benaiah. 26 Of the sons of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Elijah. 27 Of the sons of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza. 28 Of the sons of Bebai were Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai. 29 Of the sons of Bani were Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jeremoth. 30 Of the sons of Pahath-moab: Adna, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh. 31 Of the sons of Harim: Eliezer, Isshijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon, 32 Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah. 33 Of the sons of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei. 34 Of the sons of Bani: Maadai, Amram, Uel, 35 Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluhi, 36 Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib, 37 Mattaniah, Mattenai, Jaasu. 38 Of the sons of Binnui: Shimei, 39 Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah, 40 Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai, 41 Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah, 42 Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph. 43 Of the sons of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, and Benaiah. 44 All these had married foreign women, and some of the women had even borne children. – Ezra 10:18-44 ESV

The Book of Ezra ends on a rather down note with what appears to be a comprehensive list of all the priests who violated God’s law by marrying foreign wives. These spiritual leaders of Israel were forced to “put away” or divorce their non-Hebrew wives. Sadly, the children born into these mixed-race marriages became the innocent victims of their fathers’ indiscretions and disobedience to God’s command. Like all children who unwillingly suffer the consequences of a divorce for which they were not responsible, these boys and girls found their lives upended and their futures destroyed.

This sad state of affairs had begun among the community’s spiritual leaders. Ezra lists the names of 111 men who served as priests, Levites, and Temple servants and “had married foreign women, and some of the women had even borne children” (Ezra 10:44 ESV). These members of Judah’s spiritual elite had failed to observe one of God’s cardinal commands. Yahweh had set them apart from the rest of the nation of Israel and designated them as His servants. They were to be holy in all their actions and serve as role models for the people of God. But these descendants of Aaron had dropped the ball and set a dangerous precedence that influenced and infected the flock under their care. God would later issue a stinging indictment to His flawed and unfaithful priests.

“Listen, you priests—this command is for you! Listen to me and make up your minds to honor my name,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “or I will bring a terrible curse against you. I will curse even the blessings you receive. Indeed, I have already cursed them, because you have not taken my warning to heart. I will punish your descendants and splatter your faces with the manure from your festival sacrifices, and I will throw you on the manure pile. Then at last you will know it was I who sent you this warning so that my covenant with the Levites can continue,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

“The purpose of my covenant with the Levites was to bring life and peace, and that is what I gave them. This required reverence from them, and they greatly revered me and stood in awe of my name. They passed on to the people the truth of the instructions they received from me. They did not lie or cheat; they walked with me, living good and righteous lives, and they turned many from lives of sin.

“The words of a priest’s lips should preserve knowledge of God, and people should go to him for instruction, for the priest is the messenger of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. But you priests have left God’s paths. Your instructions have caused many to stumble into sin. You have corrupted the covenant I made with the Levites,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. “So I have made you despised and humiliated in the eyes of all the people. For you have not obeyed me but have shown favoritism in the way you carry out my instructions.” – Malachi 2:1-9 NLT

As God’s hand-picked servants, these men were held to a higher standard. Yahweh had commissioned them to serve and protect His chosen people. As His undershepherds, they were obligated to feed and care for His flock. But, instead, they abandoned God’s law and sought to place their selfish desires above those of the people. The priests of Judah had unwittingly followed in the footsteps of their counterparts in the northern kingdom of Israel. God expressed His divine outrage with those unfaithful shepherds in the Book of Hosea.

“My people are being destroyed
    because they don’t know me.
Since you priests refuse to know me,
    I refuse to recognize you as my priests.
Since you have forgotten the laws of your God,
    I will forget to bless your children.
The more priests there are,
    the more they sin against me.
They have exchanged the glory of God
    for the shame of idols.” – Hosea 4:6-7 NLT

God went on to summarize the devastating impact of their failure to serve as spiritual role models for the people.

“‘…what the priests do, the people also do.’
    So now I will punish both priests and people
    for their wicked deeds.” – Hosea 4:9 NLT

This was the case in Judah as Ezra chronicled the names of the guilty. His list was a who’s who of Judah’s spiritual leadership, containing the names of more than 100 men who, as the sons of Levitical priests, were responsible for the nation’s spiritual well-being. But Ezra was forced to begin his purging of the ranks by dealing with the very men who should have prevented any of this from happening in the first place.

Ezra provides no details as to how the dissolution of these marriages took place. But it is safe to assume that this was a very dark day in the lives of all those involved. Husbands and wives were permanently separated. Family units were broken up. Women and children walked away facing bleak and uncertain futures. It was anything but a happy occasion.

Ezra spares his audience from having to read the dismal details of the nationwide purging that Judah had to endure. Once the religious leaders put away their pagan wives and children, the rest of the people had to follow suit. There is no way of knowing how long this process took but its impact on the nation would have been profound and long-lasting.

Thirteen years will pass before Ezra’s name is mentioned again in the pages of Scripture. He appears in the latter portion of the Book of Nehemiah after the reconstruction of the city’s walls is complete. In celebration of this momentous occasion, Nehemiah assembled the people together and called on Ezra to read the Mosaic Law out loud.

…all the people assembled with a unified purpose at the square just inside the Water Gate. They asked Ezra the scribe to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had given for Israel to obey.

So on October 8 Ezra the priest brought the Book of the Law before the assembly, which included the men and women and all the children old enough to understand. He faced the square just inside the Water Gate from early morning until noon and read aloud to everyone who could understand. All the people listened closely to the Book of the Law.

Ezra the scribe stood on a high wooden platform that had been made for the occasion. – Nehemiah 8:1-4 NLT

As Ezra stood up to read, he was surrounded by a host of priests and Levites who spread out among the people to ensure that everything he said was understood.

They read from the Book of the Law of God and clearly explained the meaning of what was being read, helping the people understand each passage. – Nehemiah 8:8 NLT

The people were emotionally overwhelmed as they considered the many ways in which they had violated God’s law. Their tears flowed as their guilt consumed them. But the priests encouraged them to express joy rather than sadness.

“Don’t mourn or weep on such a day as this! For today is a sacred day before the Lord your God.” – Nehemiah 8:9 NLT

“Go and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!” – Nehemiah 8:10 NLT

“Hush! Don’t weep! For this is a sacred day.” – Nehemiah 8:11 NLT

This was a day of joy because the Temple had been restored, the city had been rebuilt, and the walls had been completed. But even more significant than that, the law had been declared, explained, and understood.

So the people went away to eat and drink at a festive meal, to share gifts of food, and to celebrate with great joy because they had heard God’s words and understood them. – Nehemiah 8:12 NLT

Despite their disobedience and apostasy, God had kept His promises. Though they had repeatedly violated His law, He faithfully fulfilled His covenant commitments. Even as Ezra and the people of Judah suffered through the aftermath of the breakup of so many marriages and families, God was not done with them. Their work would continue. The repopulation of Judah would carry on and the rebuilding of the city of David would one day be complete.

But what about all those recently abandoned women and children? What became of them? While Ezra gave no details, the Scriptures provide a powerful clue. Throughout God’s Word, He is portrayed as the champion of the downcast and downtrodden.

Father to the fatherless, defender of widows—
    this is God, whose dwelling is holy.
God places the lonely in families;
    he sets the prisoners free and gives them joy. – Psalm 68:5-6 NLT

“For the Lord your God is the God of gods and Lord of lords. He is the great God, the mighty and awesome God, who shows no partiality and cannot be bribed. He ensures that orphans and widows receive justice. He shows love to the foreigners living among you and gives them food and clothing.” – Deuteronomy 10:17-18 NLT

The story of Hagar and Ishmael provides a powerful reminder of God’s compassion for the defenseless and disenfranchised. The Book of Genesis records the plight of this Egyptian slave who served as the handmaid to Abraham’s wife Sarah. Frustrated by her ongoing infertility, Sarah convinced Abraham to take Hagar as a wife and bear a son through her. When her plan proved successful, Sarah became jealous of Hagar. Then, when God opened Sarah’s womb and she bore Isaac, she demanded that Abraham cast out Hagar and Ishmael.

“Get rid of that slave woman and her son. He is not going to share the inheritance with my son, Isaac. I won’t have it!” – Genesis 21:10 NLT

While Abraham was grieved by his wife’s demands, he was given an assurance from God that all would go well with Ishmael.

“Do not be upset over the boy and your servant. Do whatever Sarah tells you, for Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted. But I will also make a nation of the descendants of Hagar’s son because he is your son, too.” – Genesis 21:12-13 NLT

The story takes a dark turn when Abraham fulfills his wife’s demands and casts out Hagar and his son. Abandoned and alone, Hagar wanders around the wilderness until she runs out of water and prepares to watch her son die in front of her eyes. But God had something else in store for her and Ishmael. He sent an angel to encourage her.

“Hagar, what’s wrong? Do not be afraid! God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. Go to him and comfort him, for I will make a great nation from his descendants.”

Then God opened Hagar’s eyes, and she saw a well full of water. She quickly filled her water container and gave the boy a drink.

And God was with the boy as he grew up in the wilderness. He became a skillful archer, and he settled in the wilderness of Paran. His mother arranged for him to marry a woman from the land of Egypt. – Genesis 21:17-21 NLT

Abraham and Sarah had tried to take matters into their own hands, attempting to solve the problem of her barrenness through a plan that was unsanctioned by God. Their sin resulted in Ishmael’s birth, which produced in Sarah a hatred for Hagar and the boy she thought would be their hope. But God was not going to let Sarah’s anger produce further suffering for the innocent and undeserving. He stepped in and rescued Hagar and her child, assuring her that He could and would provide for them both – for years to come.

We are not told what happened to the women and children who were cast out of Judah but it is safe to say that God’s love for the widow and orphan did not diminish because of the sins of the men of Judah. Their selfish actions had produced sin that resulted in devastating consequences for their wives and children. But their unfaithfulness could not alter God’s care and concern for the defenseless. Man’s wickedness cannot diminish God’s goodness. His character remains unchanged even when men prove unfaithful. “His righteousness endures forever” (Psalm 112:3 ESV).

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Message (MSG)Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson